Moistener.



P. R.'ALLEN.

MOISTENER.

APPLIOATION IILED JUNE 24. 1011.

1,059,336; Patented Apr." 22, 1913.

Fig. 1;

comma PLANOGIIAPN cu. WMHIIMJTON. u, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIGE;

FRED R. ALLEN, OEXPROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE: ASSIGN-MEN'IS, .TQNATIONALIENVELOPESEALING AND {STAMPIN G MANUFAGTURIN G COM-PANY, ACORPORATION; OF MASSACHUSETTS. H

MOISTENER:

Specification of Letterslateut.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

ing is a specification, reference beinghad therein to theaccompanyingdrawing "Thls invention relates to a molstening; de

vice for envelops, labels, or othermatter,

and has for its object to provide, a moistener of this characterhaving awickcommunieating directly withlthe moisture supplying reservoirthe freeend of said wickbeing pivotally mounted and arrangedto extend intothepath of movement ofthe material to be moistened, wherebythe wick isadapted to automatically adjust itself to the varying thicknesses of thepassing material and supply a uniform quantity of liquid thereto. v

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction, as will be more fully clescribed andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1- is an elevation showing myimproved moistener attached to the tableof a stamp aifixingmachine.Fig.2 is a plan view showing the reservoir as attached: to the ta-: bleand havingthe wick extending laterally therefrom into the pathofmovement of the matter to be moistened. Fig. 3- is a;sectional elevationthrough the reservoir and wick tube on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the table over, which the matterto be moistened is fed, said table being illustrated herein as connectedto a machineprimarily adapted for affixing stamps to envelops and othermail matter.

envelop or other matter under the moistener and to the machine forsubsequently operating upon the same.

The moisture supplyingreservoir Qmay be made in any suitableiform, but Ihave herein shown the body portion 6 of the same as constructedsubstantlally in the form of a barrel, the upper surface at one endbeing flattened as at 3 and adapted to be secured by screws 4-4:, or,othersuit-able means to 13 designates a narrow rib on one edge of thetable for guiding the the table 1. Theupper wall of thisbarrelisprovlded with a slot or opening as at 5, see

Figs. 2 and 8, at either end of which are upwardly projecting ears 77.Between these ears is pivotally hung a tube 8 which offset laterally,see Fig.2, so as to lead or conduct the freeend 91of the wick 10contained within it laterally and cause the same 1 to extend over thetable 1. The reservoir is provided with a ifilling opening, 11 intowhich is screwed a closed plug 12.,

An essential feature of my invention is the construction whereby thewick passes through this tube Sand through the opening9 down into thereservoir, which reservoir is supported at oneside of the path ofmovement of the material to be moistened, while the delivery end of thetube and the, wick ,is offset and led to a point directly. above thepath of movement of the matter: to bemoisteneda Owing to the fact thatone end of the tube from which the wick protrudes is a gravity pressedand free to swing vertically, the, wick will readily yield to permit thematerial no matter how thick, to pass beneath and the amount ofmoisturedeposited thereon will be practically uniform as the pres suredue to gravity is always the same.

If in practice under-some circumstances it is found advisable toincrease the pressure of the wick upon the matter to be 1 moistened,aweight may be applied to the free end of the tube, or a spring 14: maybe applied thereto for this purpose if desired.

I claim:

1. A mo-istener comprising a reservoir, a tube pivotally hung on saidreservoir, a wick in said tube-of substantially uniform width throughoutits length and having one end communicating with said reservoir and itsopposite end extending into the path of 1 movement of the material to bemoistened whereby said wick may automatically adjust itself to thevarying thicknesses of said passing material.

2., A moistener comprising a reservoir, an offset tube pivotally hung onsaid reservoir, a Wick in said tube of substantially uniform widththroughout its length and having One end communicating with saidreservoir and its opposite end following the offset portion 1 of saidtubeand extending into the path of a movement of the material to bemoistened whereby said Wick'may automatically adjust itself to thevarying thicknesses of saidpassing material.

3. In a moisteningdevice, a table, a reservoir provided With an openingin its upper Wall, an offset tube pivotally mounted to said reservoirabove said opening a Wick in .Whereby said Wick may automatically adjustitself to the varying thicknesses of said passing material.

4. In a moistener, a tab-1e over Which the material to be moistened isfed, a reservoir having a slot in its upper Wall, a laterally ofi'settube pivotally mounted on said reser;

voir and above said opening, a Wick in said tube of substantiallyuniform Width through- '1 out its length and having one end extending Ithrough said slot into said reservoir the 0pposit'e end of said Wickfollowing the offset contours of said tube and extending but over saidtable and into the path-c of movement of the material to be moistenedwhereby said Wick may automatically adjust itself to the varyingthicknesses of the passing. material.

In testimon whereof I aflix my signatur i inpresence 0 two Witnesses.

FRED RALLEN. I

Witnesses: 1 HOWARD E. BARLoW, I.OGDEN.'

Copies of thispaten't may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.? V

